Dipper-dumping control for shovels



Oct. 15, 1929. E. H. LICHTENBERG ET AL 1,

DIPPER DUMPING CONTROL FOR SHOVELS Filed March 23, 71926 5 Sheets-Sheet &

Euro

Oct. 15, 1929. E. H. LICHTENBERG ETAL 1,731,673

DIPPER DUMPIF IG CONTROL FOR SHOVELS Filed March 23, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ade abtouwqb I A Oct. 15, 1929- E. H. LICHTENBERG ET AL 1,731,673

DIPPER DUMPING' CONTROL FOR SHOVELS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 23, 1926 attoznaw li atcnted 'Qct. i929 hairs tantra P'FN'F 'orrica ERIQH H. LICHTENBERG AND HAROLD E. BREY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AS- SIGNORS TO KOEHERING: COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION DIPPEE-DUMPING CONTROL FOR SHOVELS 1 Application filed March 23, 1926. Serial No. 96,791,

The intent of the resent invention is to provide simple and e ective means for operating the latch member by which the door of a shovel dipper is locked closed, when the dipper has been operated to'raise its load into a position ready for dumping.

The invention has been carried out in its preferred adaptation by the use of a flexible connection or cable which leads from the latch tripping means on or adjacent to the dipper, to the supporting boom upon which the dipper is mounted, thence to the cab or car body of the shovel crane of which the dipper usually forms a. part, being connected in a suitable manner with peculiar operating mechanism for placing the flexible connection under tension in order to control the dumping action .of the dipper in the well known manner.

It is known that in shovel type cranes to which this invention relates, there are operating drum assemblies employed, including suitable driving shafts for the drum mechanism, and these drum assembly units are used for different purposes. They may be employed for hoisting a boom, or for crowding out and racking in the dipper stick of the shovel, or the like. An essential object of this invention has been to coordinate the construction of a drum assembly unit on the car body of the crane with'the dipper door releasing means to obtain a control of action of the dipper door for opening the latter to perform its usual discharge function; We have, in the formiof the invention hereinafter described, associated with a drum member of oneof the drum assembly units of the ma- I chine, a winding drum that is adapted to opcrate a flexible connectionleading to the door latching device of the shovel dipper. Additionally," we provide an operating means for placing the said flexible connection under excessive tension at a point intermediate'of' its ends, which operating means is controlled by the operator ofithe machine, though somewhatremotely located in respect to the operators station at the control lever assembly of the machine. 7

In the adaptation of the invention illustrated and described, the winding drum by which the door opening cableor flexible coning drum that will answer the\purpose of dipper door releasing throu h cooperation with a suitab'le'cable or'flexi' le connection. It is understood, however, that we do not limit ourselves to the particular arrangement and use of a winding drum applied to a crowding and racking in drum, as the purview of the invention is broader than the foregoing.

A full understanding of the particular embodimentof the invention presented herein, will be had upon reference to the following description and to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view illustrating in a somewhat diagrammatic manner, a shovel crane having the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the essential parts of the mechanisms illustrated in Figure 1, including that for controlling the dipper trip connection or cable.

Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view of the tension applying or cable deflecting arm used in the arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5 by which the operation of tripping the dipper latch is performed. a

Figure 4 is a plan view showing an arrangement of parts similar to the illustration of Figure 2 but disclosing a different arrangement of the trip cable for actuating the dipper door unlatohing means.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the mechanism of Figure 4.

' Figure 6 is a detail view of the-lever an latch arts associated with the dipper door for loo ingthe same.

In the accompanying drawings, A denotes a crane of the rotary type, equipped with a. shovel dipper 1 carried by the customary dipper sticks 2 and supported bythe boom 3, pivoted at 4- to the car body of the crane. The shovel crane is of a type known to those versed in the art in which the dipper handle comprising the sticks 2 is racked in and 18 located at an end of the shaft 17 and secrowded out by cable means 5, which are cured thereto so as to rock the same- Mountwound in reverse directions about a shipper drum 6, mounted upon the shipper shaft 7 carried by the boom, said shaft supporting the saddle block 8 in which the sticks 2 operate. The cable means 5 leads downward from the shipper drum 6 around guiding sheaves 7 near the base of the boom 3 and from the sheaves 7 upwardly to the front drum 8 mounted upon a suitable shaft 9 on the car body. The cable-means 5 operates around the drum 8 in opposite directions. The said cable means transmits to the dipper 1, in the known manner, its racking in and thrusting movements for which purpose rotation of the drum 8 is reversed by suitable mechanism, not illustrated, because immaterial to the present invention.

Our dipper door control means includes a drum 10 secured to the drum 8 for rotation therewith, Leading from the drum 10 and adapted to wind around said drum is the door controlling trip cable 11, said cable 11 extending from the drum 10 downwardly beneath aguiding sheave 12 which may be mounted on the same axis 7 as are the sheaves 7 and preferably so. This arrangement is desirable as there will be practically little or no shifting of the axis of the sheaves 7 and 12, incident to peaking in and out of the boom 3, by the customary means used for this purpose, not shown. From the sheave 12, the

flexible connection'or trip rope 11 leads upwardly to 'a pulley or block 13 suitably connected so as to be supported by a side of the saddleblock 8 and thence the trip rope passes from the pulley 13 downwards to the latch lever 1 1 connected in a suitable way to the door latch for the door 16 of the dipper 1.

As the cable means 5 is-operated by rotation of the drum 8, the dipper 1 is thrust out and racked in. Since the trip rope 11 is connected with the drum 10 which moves with the drum 8, it will be evident that the movement of the rope 11 will be such that it is wound in and paid out in synchronism With the racking in and crowding out actions of the dipper 1 under the influence of thecable means 5. Under these conditions the trip rope 11 will be maintained ractically taut but no particular pulling e ort will be exerted by said trip rope upon the latch lever 14 so that the dipper door 16 may be maintained closed in the racking in and thrusting out operations of the dipper. Should it be-desired to trip the latch of the'dipper door 16, the latch may be readily operated by exerting upon the trip rope 11 an excessive tension and we provide means for this purpose one form of which is illustrated particularly in Figure 3. The said means may consist of operating features of different constructions and one disclosed involves the use of a supany substantial way to the frame (if the machine preferably in advance of the front drum assembly previously described.

' It will be obvious that any time the operator of the crane desires to dump the dipper 1, he may grasp the lever 18, rock the shaft 17 witltits arm 19 downwards, and in this manner deflect the trip rope 11, placing the lat ter under tension-or exerting a pull thereon which when transmitted to the latch lever 14 will trip the latch of the door 16 and cause opening of said door.

So far as we are advised, we are the first ones to avail of the movement of the front drum operating means for the dipper crowding and racking in actions, as a means coordinated with the trip rope for retrieving or winding in the latter and paying it out in synchronism with the racking in and thrusting out actions of the dipper stick or sticks, the tripping rope or cable being actuated as an incident to its operation associated with the said drum means.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 4: and 5 is much the same as disclosed in Figures 1 to 3, excepting that the trip cable designated 11 extends directly from the guiding pulley 13 on the saddle block 8*, to the winding drum 10 by which said cable is controlled. In view of the peculiar arrangement of the cable 11 in Figures 4 and 5, there is provided upon the arm 19 which corresponds with the previous described arm 19, a. uard 21 supported by the pivotal axis 0 the grooved roller 20 which acts to apply excessive tension to the cable 11 as shown in Fig. 3, This guard 21 is desirable and necessar to be used according to the construction 0 Figures 4 and 5 to prevent the cable or rope 11 from becoming disengaged from the roller 20. In Figure 6, the lever 14 is shown in connection with the latch member 15 stantially the same as previously set forth regarding the first described form of the inven-a tion. It is notable, however, that the con-.- struction as er Figures 4 and 5 is a simplified one and rat er to be referred than that of Figures 1 and 2, a num er of pulleys being eliminated.

Moreover, the invention involves generally the addition of a drum member for actuating the trip rope of the dipper door, to any drum or drum shaft already forming a part of the guiding and idler general operating machinery on the car body I of the shovel crane.

Having thus described our invention, what I we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a shovel crane, in combination, a crane body, a dipper supported thereon, mechanism on the crane body for causing crowding out and racking in movements of the dipper including a cable and a cable actuating means, a dipper dumping means for the dipper comprislng a trip rope leading from the dipper to the crane body, means on the crane body connecting said trip rope with the cable actuating means for causing crowding out and racking in movements of the dipper so that the trip rope is actuated in synchronism with the movements of the dipper, and a manual actuating device mounted on the crane body and arranged to impart abnormal movement to the trip rope for causing dumping action of the dipper at will.

so that the trip rope will be moved in synchronism with the movements imparted to the dipper, and a manual operating device on the crane body for imparting a special movement to the trip rope other than its synchronized movement aforesaid to effect a dipper dumping action of the said trip rope.

3. In a shovel crane, in combination, a

crane body, a boom thereon, a dipper shovel carried by the boom, shipper drum mechanism on the boom for crowding out and racking in the dipper,'a crowding out and racking in operating drum mechanism on the crane body connected with the shipper drum aforesaid, a dipper dumping trip rope connected with the dipper and leading to the crane body,

. drum means on the crane body operable by the crowding out and racking in drum mechanism thereon and having the trip rope adapted to wind thereon and unwind therefrom according to the operating movements of the dipper to prevent creation of slack in the trip rope, and manual control means on the crane body coacting with the trip rope to cause dipper dumping operation thereof,

t. In a shovel crane, in combination, a crane body, a boom thereon, a dipper shovel carried by the boom, shipper drum mechanism on the boom for crowding out and racking in the dipper, a crowding out and racking in operating drum mechanism onthe crane body connected with the shipper drum aforesaid, a

' dipperdumping trip rope connected with the dipper and leading to the crane body, drum means on the crane body operable by the crowding out and racking in drum mechanism thereon and having the trip rope adapted to wind thereon and unwind therefrom according to the operating movements of the dipper to prevent creation of slack in the trip rope, and manual control means on the crane body coacting with the trip rope to cause \dipper dumping operation thereof; and consisting of an arm having means engaging the trip rope, and a lever for actuating said arm to impart special movement to the trip rope other than its movement under the influence of the crowding outand racking in drum mechanism thereby to cause the said dumping operation of the dipper.

5. A shovel crane mechanism substantially as set forth in claim 3 wherein the means for causing dipper dumping action of the trip' rope comprises a device for deflecting said rope from its normal path of movement to place it under abnormal tension or pull.

6. A dipper dumping control mechanism for shovel dipper cranes'comprising a drum. mechanism including a crowding out and racking in drum and atrip rope drum connected together'for simultaneous operation, a trip rope connecting it with a dipper dumping device, and an operating arrangement for said trip rope including a rocker arm, a grooved roller on said arm engaging the trip rope, and a manual lever for rocking said arm and roller to deflect the trip rope laterally from its path of movement for winding on the trip rope drum, to thereby place special tension on the trip rope to effect its dipper dumping operation.

7. In a shovel dipper crane, in combination, a dipper drum mechanism connected to crowd out and rack in the dipper, drum means having its movement synchronized with respect to that of said drum mechanism, a dumping trip rope connected with the dipper and connected with the second mentioned drum means, and an actuating device for said trip rope to produce abnormal movement thereof to cause dipper dumping operation by the same.

8.v In a shovel dipper crane, in combination,

a car body, operating machinery thereon ineluding a drum and shaft assembly unit for operatlng some mechanism of the crane, a boom on, the car body, a shovel dipper L mounted on said boom and comprising dump-' in'g means, together with'a tripping drum member applied to said drum'and shaft as sembly unit, with a trip cable leading from said tripping drum, member to the dumping means for the shovel dipper for operating the said-dumping means, and manual means to control the tripping action of said cable while the drum means prevents the creation of slack in the trip cable. 9. In a shovel crane, in combination, a crane body, a boom thereon, a shovel dipper mounted on theboom andmovable for excavating, lifting and dumping a load of materialan operatin drum and shaft assembly unit carried by t e crane for actuating some part of the crane mechanism, an auxiliary trip drum, connected up with said drum and shaft assembly unit to be turned thereby, a tripeable leading from said auxiliary trip drum tothe shovel dipper and adapted to wind and unwind from' the trip drum, and manual means for operating said trip cable in its movement under the actuationof the auxiliary trip drum whereby to cause dumping action of the dipper.

10. 7A dipper dumping control for shovel cranes comprising a winding drum operably assembled with dipper actuating mechanism,

a shaft and crank arm assembly mounted parallel to the axis of said dr sembly comprising a shaft, a cran arm fixed thereto and an operating lever for actuating the same, and a trip cable adapted to be actuated by movement of said rocking arm under the influence of the operating lever and susceptible of connection with dipper door dumping means for actuation of the latter.

11. A dipper dumping control mechanism for shovelcranes comprising an operating drum adapted for actuation of certain crane mechanism, a trip rope drum connected to operate in synchronism therewith, a trip rope leading from said drum and adapted to be attached to dipper dumping means, the said operating drum and the trip rope drum being coaxial, and manually controlled actuating parts adapted to engage and move the trip rope intermedite of its connection with the dipper door dumping means and the trip rope drum for causing said trip rope to perform its dumping function.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

ERIGH H. LICHTENBERG. HAROLD E. 'IBREY.

, said as- 

